March Madness Experience features entertainment that's a slam dunk

PEORIA — To find Christian Lewis and Anferney Burns this weekend, the Slam Dunk Cage at the March Madness Experience would be the place to start.

The two sophomores at Peoria High School plan to log some serious hours this weekend at one of the most popular games in the basketball playground that is the Experience, which opened Thursday evening for the IHSA Class 1A/2A State Finals. The Slam Dunk Cage features two slightly lowered hoops that present a more favorable opportunity for any person to throw down their cherished slam dunk.

Burns preferred the between-the-legs dunks while Lewis showed off his 360-degree windmill slam. But both of them were waiting around for a few more friends to try their favorite dunks, known as “posterizing” in the hoops acumen.

“We’re waiting on our friends because usually we have them stand in front of the rim ...,” Lewis said.

“And then we dunk on them,” said Burns, finishing Lewis’ sentence.

If the dunk cage isn’t a visitor’s forte, a slew of other basketball games are available for all ages, including driveway knockout, free throw challenge, the Rainbow Shot and the brand-new TireBallSkillz court where two people pass and dribble through tires suspended in the air.

Cade Thomas, 14, of Carbondale paid his first visit of the evening to the 3-Point Court to test his long distance sharpshooting. Thomas converted five out of nine 3-point shots on his first attempt, which didn’t stop him from going back later to improve upon that percentage.

“Did I make enough?” Thomas asked his friends sarcastically once he was finished.

As hectic as it may seem with hundreds of adolescents packed into an exhibit hall, Kelly Cummings, 18-year veteran of the March Madness Experience Volunteer Committee, said the event operates smoothly each year. With volunteers who have been with the Experience longer than even her tenure, Cummings said they nearly show up and volunteer with no instructions needed.

“You would think that, over time, that it would get routine,” Cummings said. “But it’s like a breath of fresh air every year. But this could not run without volunteers. It actually runs like a machine now.”

Thomas Bruch can be reached at 686-3188 or tbruch@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasBruch.